Category Archives: Mussar

Woe unto a person who is not aware of his defects, and who does not know what he must correct.  But much worse off is the person who does not know his strengths, and who is therefore unaware of the … Continue reading →

By admonishing others for wrongdoing, a person will be saved from committing the same transgression.  When he is faced with temptation, he will say to himself: “I rebuke others for doing this; how can I do it myself?” ~ R’ … Continue reading →

If you harm your fellow in a minor way – consider it major.  If you helped him in a major way – consider it minor. If your fellow helped you in a minor way – consider it major.  If he … Continue reading →

When I first began to learn Mussar, I would get angry at the world but not at myself.  Later, I would get angry also at myself.  Finally, I got angry at myself alone. ~ R’ Yisroel Salanter zt”l

In his old age, the Chofetz Chaim called on all roshei yeshivhos to institute a Mussar seder – “In these times, it is our only protection against the storms of freethinking raging in the world.”

It is worthwhile to give a lengthy mussar shmuze if all it accomplishes is that one person will once pray one prayer with kavanah…even if that one person is myself. ~ R’ Yisroel Salanter zt”l

The test of whether Mussar is being studied properly is whether it evokes a desire to continue learning Mussar. ~ R’ Yisroel Salanter zt”l